Key Takeaways
- Shiru has partnered with Ingredion Inc. for a global R&D collaboration focused on discovering novel functional proteins for food and nutrition applications.
- The partnership leverages Shiru’s proprietary AI discovery platform, which contains more than 77 million natural protein sequences catalogued and analyzed in its searchable database.
- The collaboration will focus on developing next-generation prebiotics derived from natural sources to promote healthier microbiomes using AI-driven protein discovery methods.
- Ingredients developed through the joint research will have access to Ingredion’s network of 18,000+ customers across 120 countries worldwide.
- The partnership builds on Shiru’s recent commercial launch of uPro™ and OleoPro™, two AI-discovered natural ingredients now available for food and personal care applications.
Shiru’s AI Platform Accelerates Discovery Process
The collaboration between Berkeley-based Shiru and Ingredion Inc. aims to transform ingredient discovery through artificial intelligence technology. Shiru’s proprietary AI discovery platform, called Flourish™, represents the industry’s broadest searchable database of functional protein ingredients.
“We have broken the mold on how ingredient discovery is done,” said Dr. Jasmin Hume, founder and CEO of Shiru. “Disrupting the speed at which we can identify high-performance natural proteins has opened the floodgates for healthy, targeted nutrition. What once took a team of 50 scientists a decade and a healthy dose of serendipity, we can now do strategically and efficiently in months. Pairing that capability with Ingredion’s scale and customer relationships creates a direct path from discovery to market.”
Shiru & Ingredion’s Focus on Prebiotic Development
The partnership will specifically target the development of next-generation prebiotics derived from natural sources. This focus addresses growing market demand as evidence continues linking gut microbiome health to immunity, metabolic function, and cognitive performance. The collaboration seeks to provide CPG companies with ingredients that are both clinically credible and manufacturable at scale.
Ingredion’s Innovation Strategy
For Ingredion, headquartered in Westchester, Illinois, this partnership supports the company’s strategic expansion of its Texture & Healthful Solutions portfolio through external innovation.
“As consumer expectations rise, food companies need new ways to move faster and innovate smarter,” said Michael Leonard, chief innovation officer at Ingredion. “Shiru helps us discover better natural ingredients more quickly so we can help our customers deliver new products at a pace the market expects.”
Market Access and Commercial Applications
The collaboration provides a direct commercialization pathway for newly discovered ingredients through Ingredion’s extensive customer network. This partnership follows Shiru’s successful commercial launch of uPro™ and OleoPro™, demonstrating the practical application of AI-discovered ingredients in food and personal care markets.
